What If
by mamagrimes
Summary: A series of one shots exploring all of the different pathways Rick and Michonne could have taken to find each other. What if Michonne had shaved Rick's beard that day? What if Rick had hugged Michonne when she found him and Carl after the fall of the prison? What if Rick had gone on a run with Michonne to hunt the Governor! So many ways to fall in love!
1. Michonne shaves Rick

**A/N: The image of Michonne shaving Rick's beard has been with me for well over a year and I wanted to capture what it would look and feel like and the impact it might have had on both of them. What if Michonne had been with Rick that first day in Alexandria to catch him before he fell?**

The hot water had been a miracle running over his tired body as it washed away weeks of grime picked up from being on the road. Not even two days ago, his family had staved off dehydration by drinking rainwater and starvation by eating wild dog.

Now, he was toweling off from a thirty minute hot shower after arriving at a town that hell had skipped over for two years.

Rick shook his head as he looked at boxer shorts still in their store packaging and faded, clean Levi blue jeans that had been delivered along with other clothes from the town pantry. Clean clothes were a luxury no one in his group even thought about as they traveled hundreds of miles to deliver a teenage boy to his home and then another hundred after deciding to continue looking for a place to call their own. They had only cared about putting miles behind them and surviving each day to tackle the next.

As Rick pulled on the boxers and blue jeans, he noticed how the size he'd been wearing for ten years now hung looser on his frame, testament to the effects of the past couple of months. Walking over to the sink where he had left his watch and his wedding ring before showering, Rick used the towel to wipe the mirror clear of steam.

A stranger peered back at him.

Shock coursed through his body as Rick stared at the man in the mirror. Heavy beard hiding half of his face, damp hair curling to the nape of his neck and skin darkened by endless days of walking in the unrelenting sun. Leaning heavily on the edge of the sink, Rick tried to reconcile the image to the man he remembered.

The eyes were even different. They were tired. Tired of anticipating every obstacle miles before getting there. Tired of watching his loved ones die. Tired of the blood and violence and gore.

Just so very tired.

Picking up the razor left behind by their oh so friendly hosts, Rick stared at it. This vestige of civilized life. He knew he should use it to play the part of the civilized man. He knew that their hosts would feel more comfortable if he didn't look like someone half crazed and lost.

Even if he felt it more moments than not these days.

Rick let go of the sink and dropped down onto the tufted vanity seat nearby. Resting his arms on his legs, he stared at the razor gripped in his shaking hand, his mind filling with so many fleeting thoughts, so many directions for him take.

 _Run! You don't belong here._

 _Do whatever they want, be whoever they want so your children stay safe._

 _Everyone wants something. You're not safe. You're never safe..._

" _Rick_."

His panicked, racing heart slowed as the familiar voice interrupted the noise in his head, compelling Rick to raise his gaze to meet large, brown eyes mere inches from his.

 _Michonne_. His friend, his fellow road warrior. The woman who wanted to secure a home for his children. The woman who shared his burdens and who he owed his life to.

She was crouched down in front of him, gazing at him with a look of concern and all he could do was gaze back at her as his brain continued to work on overdrive.

As Michonne remained in her crouching position in front of Rick, she took note of his shaking hand and the confusion in his eyes. She knew her friend well enough to understand that he was feeling even more at odds than she was and that was saying a lot because she had questioned her sanity during her long shower and wondered if this was all a dream or a mirage brought on by exhaustion and dehydration.

After her shower, Michonne had dressed in clean clothes and had come out of the bathroom to an empty house, stopping on the front porch after spying Daryl slouched in the corner skinning the possum he had killed upon their entry into Alexandria a few hours earlier. He had informed her that everyone had gone exploring and then were meeting up at Aaron's house for 'chips and dips and shit' (his words) afterwards. Rick was the only one who had stayed behind.

Heading back into the house, Michonne had walked upstairs, calling out for Rick and then growing concerned when she didn't hear a response. Approaching the bathroom door and finding it slightly ajar she had peeked her head in. Her heart beating quickly, Michonne had taken in Rick's posture on the stool and his shaking hand and knew he needed her help. She erased the distance between them and captured his attention as she crouched in front of him.

Rick swallowed and his brows drew together as his eyes burned a hole into the razor.

"I didn't recognize myself in the mirror. I don't know who that man is."

 _Oh Rick._ Her heart breaking a little at his distracted, quiet tone, Michonne knew that Rick was struggling with the contrast of the hell they had just spent the last month or two surviving to this cozy, sheltered town. And, if she knew her friend as well as she thought, he was most likely trying to cope with the burden of guilt he always carried around. Thinking of the loved ones who should have walked through those gates with them but were lost along the way.

Rick was strong out on the road because he had to be. It was life or death out there and he was their leader and a father of two. He had no choice and Michonne knew that he would have kept on for another five hundred miles if it meant keeping his family and friends safe.

But here? Behind steel walls in town that had electricity and hot water? He was simply a man who had suffered incredible trauma and was trying to catch up. Michonne knew he didn't need her pity or her sympathy. He didn't need or want coddling.

He needed a friend to lead him back into the real world. Whatever stood for the real world these days.

Michonne made sure to keep her tone light but firm. "You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think we need to get rid of the beard so you can see yourself again. Remember who you are."

Rick looked down at his shaking hand and quirked an embarrassed smile up at Michonne, the muddled thoughts in his head settling down as the dry humor they always shared together ran interference. "Great idea. I'll do it as soon as my hand can hold a blade to my neck without cutting it to ribbons."

Michonne stood up and Rick's head followed, his eyes continuing to lock with hers. Tilting her head to the side as she considered his face, Michonne's eyes lit with amusement as she responded. "Lucky for you, I've had plenty of practice with shaving men's beards and my hand is _very_ steady." Long slender fingers splayed before Rick's gaze as a playful demonstration of her capabilities.

"Plenty of practice, huh?" What was it about Michonne that always brought him out of the darkness into the light of day? That made him feel that there were still possibilities instead of dead ends?

Michonne nodded, "My granddaddy grew his beard so quickly, he used to have to shave twice a day. When he was older, he lived with me and my parents and I learned to shave his beard when he was no longer able to. Eventually, he told me I shaved it better than he ever did. High praise coming from a perfectionist, believe me."

Rick smiled at the image of a younger Michonne chatting with her grandfather as she took care of him. He would have been a proud man and she most likely made him feel at ease and took care to not treat him with pity or like a child.

 _Was she looking at him like a helpless man who could no longer take care of himself?_ Looking down at his hands, he willed the shaking to stop and clenched his fists in frustration, hating the lack of control.

"You don't have to do this, Michonne."

"After everything you've done for me, let me shave your damn beard, okay?"

Rick's eyebrows drew together as he considered Michonne's words. What he had done for _her_? Wasn't it the other way around? Michonne had built a friendship with his son, helping him to heal and not lose himself out there. She had done much of the heavy lifting alongside Rick since the prison fell and it was because of her determination that they were now sitting in a house with electricity behind fifteen foot high steel walls.

"Look up." Michonne's softly spoken request interrupted Rick's thoughts and as he followed orders, he was surprised to see her standing before him holding a can of shaving cream with a towel draped over her arm.

"Just relax, Rick, and let me take care of you for five minutes, okay? I want to do this for you."

Michonne's proximity and softly spoken words sent an awareness through him that felt both foreign and familiar at the same time. As he sat up straight and took the shaving cream she gave him to hold, he recognized what it was. Something he hadn't felt in many, many months and it was both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.

It was physical connection. _Attraction_.

For the woman who was now draping a towel across his lap and gently tilting his head back. Who was now gifting him with her soft smile, her beautiful eyes filled with caring.

As Michonne ran her fingers down his beard and started to clip the longer hairs with scissors, Rick kept his head and body very still and closed his eyes, allowing sensation to chase away his thoughts in one cleansing motion.

 _Is this it?_ Is this what will bring him back from the void? Michonne's touch. Michonne's care. Michonne's attention on him _as a man_ , not just her leader and friend but a man who was now just realizing that the answer to all of his questions, all of his doubts had been in front of him all along.

 _Yes_. It was her, always her. Since the first moment he met her, Michonne was his saving grace. She had brought his daughter food that day. She had then challenged him, dragged him out of his grief and misery, and showed him how to carry on after a crippling loss. She had brought him laughter, support, partnership.

And she believed in him.

Opening his eyes, Rick saw clearly now where he was. A brightly lit, clean room sitting on a clean stool with the most amazing woman he'd ever met resting her hand on his bare shoulder while patiently and carefully grooming him.

 _Oh it was good to be alive_. It was wonderful to be alive. He listened to the thud of his heart with gratitude and would never resent it or take it for granted again. That heart beat allowed him to be here with his children, his friends, his family. Its strong, healthy rhythm allowed him to fight and protect, to make split second decisions about life and death.

And it allowed him to be here with her.

Taking a deep breath, Rick gazed up at Michonne, taking in the strong features of her face, seeing her through the eyes of the newly awakened. As her head bent close to his, intent on her task, he looked at her long dark lashes framing eyes that saw everything yet still held secrets of their own. He admired her high cheekbones, her beautiful, smooth dark skin and then finally…..

Her full, soft lips that had distracted him before but were now simply a beacon calling him home.

 _Oh Michonne, I hope you're ready for this._

Rick was not going to lose his way. Not on my watch, Michonne promised herself as she clipped his beard with the same determination she cut through a pack of walkers. With each snip of the scissors, she willed the pain of this past year away. As the small hairs fell from his face onto the towel draped across his lap, she imagined them as the myriad of tiny burdens that had weighed Rick down. Decisions and responsibilities. The loss of their home, of their loved ones.

All of those burdens that Rick took on as his own until he was the most base version of himself. A man who was defined by his ability to keep everyone safe, fed and sheltered. A man who was expected to know the answers to every problem, the way out to every obstacle.

How long could a man take all of that on without completely losing his way?

Trimming complete, Michonne walked over to the sink and filled a small basin with warm water, grabbing another towel from the rack on the wall and throwing it over her shoulder. Still caught up in her thoughts, Michonne took the can of shaving cream from Rick's hand, now resting on his leg, and as her eyes met his, a small gasp whispered past her lips.

 _What was this?_ The lost, bleary gaze that had greeted her had been replaced with…..something else entirely.

Oh Mercy.

As Rick's face tilted upwards, his bare torso sitting straight on the stool, Michonne was caught off guard by the clarity in his blue eyes. Eyes lit with purpose, intelligence and, well _something_ that made her body warm from inside out. She must have gotten too much sun out there and it was messing with her head, that's all.

Refocusing, Michonne pasted a friendly smile on her face, slowly shaking the shaving cream back and forth. "You doing okay?"

A slow smile curved Rick's lips and crinkled the skin around his eyes as he shifted on the stool and sat even taller, almost resolute in his posture. "I'm very okay," he answered in a raspy drawl as he tilted his head back awaiting her ministrations.

 _What in the world_? Nodding absently as her eyes roamed his tanned face, Michonne buried the prickles of awareness that snuck through to the surface of her skin, causing slight goose bumps to rise up. Lecturing herself to stay on task, Michonne filled one of her palms with a foamy pile of shaving cream, then transferred half of it to her other palm. As her hands paused on either side of Rick's face, she suddenly became aware of her position standing between his thighs, their bodies at an intimate distance. Was it her imagination or did Rick bring his legs closer together, just then? Yes, there it was! She could feel the brush of his legs against hers and her heart immediately reacted with a racing rhythm.

 _Focusss_ …..Thinking of banal things like starting a fire with no matches and finding a stone to sharpen her sword, Michonne was able to slather the shaving cream onto Rick's beard, willing herself not to turn the grooming step into a caress.

He's your best friend, the man who saved you a year ago, the man who gave you a home and a reason to open yourself up again. Do _not_ burden him with inappropriate thoughts!

Rick was grateful for the towel on his lap because his brand new jeans were being tested as long dormant sensations made their way to the part of him that he had wondered if he'd ever use again. From his position, Rick eyes were at the same level as Michonne's chest, covered with a very flimsy tank and, from he could tell from only a couple of inches away, an even flimsier bra. He'd be lying if he said his eyes hadn't wandered to that area on numerous occasions as well as her curvy ass, currently hidden from his view. He was human after all and while Michonne was a warrior and his closest friend, she was a very beautiful woman whose tight fitting wardrobe displayed that beauty to perfection.

His hands had stopped shaking but were now flexing with the itch to roam and explore. They had traveled for endless days together, slept in the woods next to each other and he had looked at her for hours on end, but the demands of survival and his constant state of grief had clouded his view, muddied his thoughts and shielded his heart.

 _No more_. The only remaining wall was the steel one surrounding this miracle town and for the first time since the world ended, Rick had the answers. The only ones that counted.

And he couldn't wait to share them with his best friend.

Stepping back, Michonne left the enclosure of Rick's legs in order to grab the razor resting on the sink vanity. Now that a foot separated them, she could take a breath and allow her mind to give her heart and body clear instructions.

Shave his beard. _Find him a shirt_. Go downstairs and find a crowd to lose yourself in.

Simple. Now her heart and body just had to listen and all would be well. Turning back from the sink, she stared at Rick's broad back, his newly washed hair starting to dry in loose curls along his neck. After a few seconds of indulgence, her brows drew together as she realized the stool had no back. Since she would be shaving him from behind, he would need to lean back slightly and would have no support.

Unless he leaned into her.

Heart beating fast, Michonne eliminated the small space between her and Rick and stopped when she was right behind him. Clearing her throat, she willed her voice into a matter of fact tone. "There's no back to the stool. Are you okay with leaning into me while I shave you? We can get a ch..."

Rick tilted his head back, a small smile curving his lips, his eyes lit with that _somethin_ g again."I'm fine. Let's do this."

Let's _do_ this? Oh sure, let's _do_ this, Rick. No problem, let me just tell my brain to tell my hand to cooperate okay?

Nodding her head, Michonne stepped forward and allowed Rick to brace his shoulders and back against her... _oh god_...chest...and she placed the hand holding the razor against his neck. Just as she was about to swipe the razor upwards, Rick gently grabbed her wrist gently and, looking up at her with a gleam in his eyes, rasped, "Are you up for this?"

Staring down into Rick's eyes, Michonne was drawn in by the challenge and her nervousness went away. Here was her friend (her very handsome and sexy friend), the man who had led them a hundred miles on her plea. A man who was chasing away demons every damn day and who she very much wanted to make smile.

Her hand now completely steady, Michonne gazed down at Rick and replied, "Are you?" Her smile turned into a grin as his eyes widened and she put the razor to work.

While Michonne's sassy response stunned him into silence, Rick closed his eyes and allowed his body to enjoy every single sensation as his head lay cradled in Michonne's arm, her hand steadily cupping his chin, each swipe of the razor nudging his head against the softness of her chest.

He doubted heaven could compete with this. Highly doubted it.

He had given himself over to the care of someone he trusted with his life and his children's lives. Someone who knew him better than he knew himself. Saw things in him that he didn't or couldn't see. And it felt so damn _right_. He wanted the moment to extend beyond minutes into hours. He wanted it never to end. His hands, relaxed and no longer shaking, longed to slide reach out to touch but he kept them still and complacent on his lap because he knew was Michonne was simply helping a friend out.

Perhaps he could help her see him in a different light. She was always pushing him. Maybe it was his turn now.

No maybe about it. Once Rick made up his mind about something, there was no question of if or how, simply _when_. And these newly awakened feelings were screaming at him that 'when' was ' _now_.'

With each swipe of the razor, Michonne could see the miles, and years fall off of Rick's face. It was as if he was shedding a skin and being reborn. Shaking her head at her corny thoughts, Michonne continued to rinse the razor in the basin and take care not to nick Rick's skin as she gave him a close shave.

His soft curls warmed her chest where his head rested against it and her heart started to accelerate with the thought that this all felt so right. Like the last two pieces of the puzzle coming together and making the picture complete. They had held each other up for a year but had rarely touched and, even then, only when hurt or needing help. They had never hugged or patted each other on the shoulder, never even _brushed_ shoulders. Michonne wondered at that. Why had they kept their distance?

Because touching Rick Grimes was like coming home and watching a meteor shower all in one. It was warmth, comfort, familiarity coupled with excitement, anticipation and awe.

If there was a way to drag out a shave, Michonne would have figured out a way to do this one but realized that would be selfish. Their family was probably headed to Aaron's at that moment and would be looking for them.

Time to wrap this up.

With the last swipe of the blade, Michonne tossed the razor into the basin of water and handed the clean towel to Rick to wipe his face. Walking around to his front, Michonne bent to fold up the towel draped over his lap but Rick's hand stopped her with a quick, "I've got it."

Quirking a brow but not arguing, Michonne walked over to the sink and rinsed the razor under the faucet and then dumped the basin out and rinsed that. When she was finished, she stood up to peer into the mirror and gasped as she saw Rick in its reflection.

Standing behind her.

Holding a hand over her mouth in surprise at his new look, her eyes widening, Michonne turned around to face Rick only to realize that he was mere inches away which put them at a very intimate distance. Her eyes were right at the height of his mouth and it took every vestige of her control to not trace her fingers across the now very clean jaw line.

"I've never seen your face like that before."

At Michonne's whispered response to his shaved face, Rick glanced at his reflection in the mirror which also gave him the perfect view of Michonne's trim back and beautiful shoulders, displayed to perfection in that tight tank top. He loved the way her dark skin contrasted with his and his fingers twitched with the need to touch once again.

 _Soon._

Rick moved his gaze to Michonne's and quirked his mouth with a small smile. "I can't remember the last time my jaw has seen the light of day so I thank you for that."

Standing this close, he could smell the lavender scent of the lotion Michonne must have applied after her shower and the mint of her toothpaste. It seemed right that he should know these details of her grooming habits. He wanted to know everything about her and planned on spending every one of his free moments doing just that.

Michonne couldn't breathe with Rick standing so close. He was too much. It was easier being near him when he was hurting and lost. She could nurse him and counsel him all day long. That fit in the box of their friendship. But standing mere inches from this man when he was clear eyed and present and so completely... _male_...was something new and somewhat terrifying. As her eyes roamed the handsome face, glancing over his soft lips and square jaw, they zeroed in on the cleft in his chin and she wanted to weep for the wasted months it was hidden from her view.

Noticing some stray hairs on his chin, Michonne moved her hand to cup his jaw and, without thinking, brushed the hairs away with her thumb. "You have a few..." Her words died down as Rick gently took hold of her wrist, keeping her hand on his face as his eyes heated with a message that even Michonne, firmly hidden behind the wall of friendship, heard loud and clear and the breath she held let out in a slow and quiet gasp.

 _He wants me._

This town may be where we live and what keeps us safe. It might be what feeds us and helps us to catch our breath but this _woman_...this woman is my home and not another minute is going to pass without her knowing that. As Rick's mind released those words of promise and intent, his body rejoiced and acted. Slowly lowering Michonne's wrist from his face, he laced their fingers together while his other hand settled around her lithe waist and drew her closer. Watching her eyes warm and seeing that his attentions were welcome, Rick's lips curved into a gentle smile and he allowed all of the feelings in his heart to come to the surface for the first time.

Michonne lids fluttered as she fought back tears at the light in Rick's eyes and behind his smile. Two years of grief and weight on her heart lifted as she looked up at her best friend and fellow survivor.

 _He loves me._

As it had always been between the two of them, their bodies and minds moved in concert and Michonne closed the remaining distance just as Rick moved his hand up to the center of her back and their heads tilted as their lips melded together in a soft kiss.

Her body coming alive and leaving the hundreds of miles of road weariness behind as a footnote, Michonne ran both of her hands up Rick's muscled chest, reveling in the heat of his skin and stopping to feel the racing of his heart then continuing to thread through those beautiful dark curls as his lips sipped at hers with a hunger Michonne had no idea existed until this moment.

 _Of course._

They had been everything else to each other this past year. It just took finally being in a place of safe harbor for them to reveal what they had kept buried.

 _Attraction. Passion. Desire._

When Rick had entered this house an hour ago, he hadn't known what to do with himself, how to feel, how to think. Now with Michonne in his arms, her mouth opening between his, everything was clear for the first time since the world as he knew it went away.

Pulling back slightly, Rick rested his forehead against Michonne's, their panting breaths filling the air between them. Looking into her eyes, Rick saw the affirmation he was looking for as they warmed with her smile and she tightened her grip on his hair.

 _She loves me and she wants me._

Unable to hide his joyful grin, Rick tilted his head once again and claimed Michonne's luscious lips with his own, parting them with his tongue and exploring her mouth with all of the need he had kept bottled up without even knowing it. His hands moved from her back to cup her ass and, with a groan against her mouth, he squeezed and then pressed her against his hardening cock.

Michonne answered his groan with one of her own as she slid her leg along the outside of Rick's and opened her mouth further to tangle her tongue with his in a dance that was way overdue. Her hands moved to caress his muscled shoulders and, as she lightly scratched his heated skin, Rick's answering growl made her smile against the lips ravaging hers.

"Bed... _now_..." Rick's throaty rasp echoed through the bathroom and his demanding tone sent a bolt of arousal through Michonne's entire body, straight through to her core. Fully in agreement with the whispered command, Michonne walked backwards towards the door, Rick's arms holding her close and his mouth moving from hers to pepper kisses along her shoulder and throat as he followed.

Stumbling out of the bathroom while their hands and mouths played catch up with each other's bodies, they made their way to the small bedroom Rick shared with his children. A bedroom that was thankfully very empty and very available.

With the afternoon sunshine lighting the bedroom, Rick finally stepped back from Michonne, needing a minute of clarity. Cupping her face between his hands, Rick dipped his head for a closer look and what he saw left him even more breathless.

Eyes half closed and her glistening lips slightly parted, Michonne was a vision. Rick hoped to God she wanted what he wanted because he didn't know what he'd do with himself if she shied away now.

"You ready for this?"

 _Oh you sweet, sweet man. I adore you._

Nodding her head, Michonne held Rick's wrists in a gentle grip, her thumbs caressing the rapid pulse she could feel in each.

"Make love to me Rick."

Grinning with relief and joy, Rick swooped Michonne up in to his arms, kissing her as she shrieked in surprise. As they tumbled into the twin bed, Michonne shoved the Levi's and boxers down Rick's slender hips as Rick hurriedly removed the tank top and they both drew the tight pants down her long legs. As Rick kicked his clothes off with a muttered curse, Michonne removed her bra and leaned back onto the bed, her full breasts rising and falling with her rapid breaths.

Rick propped himself over Michonne, taking in her lean, perfectly formed body splayed out beneath him, covered only in a flimsy wisp of lace. Running his hand over her flat stomach, he dipped his head to run his tongue around one of her hardening nipples, savoring the heat and salt of her skin. While he laved one breast with his mouth, he caressed the other with his hand, squeezing and exploring the firm flesh. He would be content to spend hours on this part of Michonne's body as he had been harboring fantasies about it for far too long. But the small part of his brain that was still functioning knew they didn't have hours and were on borrowed time as it was.

There would come a day very soon that he would find those hours and put them to very good use.

Back in the present, Rick moved his mouth back to Michonne's as it had been neglected for too long. As he moved his lips over hers, his hand slid down to cup the wet heat hidden beneath that scrap of lace.

Michonne moaned against Rick's mouth as his fingers caressed and rubbed her, making her passage slick and swollen with need. Arching her back and cupping Rick's ass with her hands, she squeezed the firm cheeks with greedy hands as her legs opened to cradle his hips.

"Rick, I need you. _Now_."

Rick's whispered drawl of, "Yes, M'am" nearly sent Michonne over the edge and she opened her eyes to meet his, feeling so close she wanted him to see it when it happened.

She _needed_ him to see what he did to her.

As Rick positioned his cock at her entrance, Rick watched Michonne's eyes glaze over with want and need. _He_ did this to her and, in that moment, he felt like he could conquer the world as long as he could make this woman give herself up to him like this.

Their eyes making promises to each other, they became one as Rick entered Michonne with one thrust and her legs immediately wrapped themselves around his hips to help set the rhythm. Which was fast and urgent in order to catch up with the climaxes already building up within each of them.

As mouths and hands and bodies explored and moved together, time both stood still and went by too fast as, at last, Rick reared his head back to once again look into Michonne's eyes as she arched into him with her climax, a soft breathy moan escaping her lips. Seconds later, he followed, pulling out just in time to spend on the sheets in a heated rush.

Filled with joy even as he was overcome with exhaustion, Rick collapsed to the side of Michonne, burying his face in the crook of her neck as their breaths slowed down.

After several long moments of silence, Rick picked his head up to gaze at a thoroughly relaxed Michonne, her skin glistening with a fine sheen of perspiration.

That he had put there.

Propping his head on his hand, Rick slowly traced her arm with a finger, drawing her gaze to his.

Raising an eyebrow, Michonne asked dryly, "So what do you think of Alexandria so far?"

Barking out a surprised laugh, Rick drew her in for a hug that could have quickly turned into round two if his mind was slightly less functional.

"I love it. It's very...um... _charming_."

Playfully batting at Rick's shoulder, Michonne giggled. "Charming, huh? That's the best you can do?"

Grinning from ear to ear and feeling a lightness of spirit he never thought to feel again, Rick once again gazed down at Michonne as he provided a proper response.

"Alexandria is the most beautiful, exciting, perfect place in the whole world and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else."

Michonne sighed with happiness at Rick's sweet words as she threaded her fingers through his hair.

Fighting the urge to close his eyes at her touch, Rick asked, "So your shaves are out of this world. How are you with haircuts?"

Michonne clenched her fingers to slightly pull on his hair and drive her very important point home.

"These gorgeous curls aren't going anywhere. _No_ haircut, do you hear me?"

"I'll grow my hair down to my back if it keeps a smile on your face."

Just as Michonne was about to initiate another bout of lovemaking, a knock sounded on the door downstairs, causing them both to bolt out of bed on instinct, old habits hard to break. After throwing on his jeans, Rick planted a quick kiss on Michonne's lips and told her to take her time and he would answer.

Just as another knock sounded on the back door, Rick peered around the corner to meet the gaze of a woman standing on the other side, holding a large laundry basket. Curious, Rick slowly opened the door and was greeting by a friendly smile as the woman held up the basket.

"Hi, welcome to Alexandria. I'm from the pantry and Deanna asked me to bring over some supplies."

Just then, Michonne skidded to a stop behind Rick, adjusting her tank top and appearing to have hastily dressed. The woman's eyes widened slightly and a pink hue tinged her pale cheeks as she came to the correct conclusion that she interrupted some pleasurable downtime.

Hoping to put her at ease, Rick took the basket and introduced himself and Michonne.

The woman raised a hand in greeting, "Hi I'm Olivia. It's nice to meet you both. Let me know if you need anything. Um..." Olivia turned as if to go and then, as if on a whim shook her head and spoke in a rush. "Can I just say that you are the most gorgeous couple? I mean, _seriously_." With that declaration, she waved goodbye and walked quickly down the sidewalk, humming an old pop song as she went.

Shaking his head as he pushed the door shut with his foot, Rick turned to Michonne, who looked deliciously rumpled and thoroughly loved as she stood grinning behind him. Looking down at the basket and then back at her, he proclaimed his agreement with Olivia's assessment.

"We _are_ a gorgeous couple."

Biting her bottom lip, Michonne simply nodded, her eyes alight with amusement and joy, which caused Rick to quickly place the basket on the floor and grab her by the hand.

Aaron could entertain their family for a little while longer as they had a bit more catching up to do.

Well, more than a bit as Rick and Michonne never did make that gathering, pleading exhaustion. That excuse wore out its welcome within the first three days at Alexandria.

Rick and Michonne's new favorite place in the whole world.

 **A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this one shot and hope you enjoyed it. In between writing chapters for Queen of Hearts, I will be filling my time with other 'What if' scenarios that may have made Rick and Michonne canon sooner if they had only made that leap. Feel free to add a prompt from your wishlist when you leave a review!**


	2. Rick hunts with Michonne

**In this second installment of my 'What If' series, I explore how different things may have turned out if only Rick had accompanied Michonne on one of her trips hunting the Governor way back when...**

 **Prison - 8 months after Andrea's death**

 _He was still out there somewhere. Breathing air. Walking. Living. And it was up to her to hunt him down and end him. To rid this world of a mass murderer and a psychopath._

As Michonne sheathed her newly sharpened sword, she surveyed her dark cell with one more glance and then, with a resolute nod, walked through the door, closing it behind her with a soft _clank_.

Walking through the cell block, she smiled at the people she passed, taking a couple of minutes to chat with Carol and accepting the wrapped package of jerky that had just finished curing last week. Seeing Beth approach with Judith in her arms, Michonne bid Carol a quick goodbye and continued her way towards the exit, still not comfortable with spending time with the baby.

She didn't know if she ever would be able to look at those smooth, downy baby cheeks and not think of the son she had lost at the beginning. Her pain was still raw and the emotional scarring still a jagged edge across her heart. Maybe someday but not today.

As Michonne approached Flame's paddock, she looked toward the outside gates, surprised not to see Daryl's bike as he usually beat her there when he joined her for her hunts. With a shrug, Michonne continued walking, reviewing in her head the route they were going to take for the two day trip.

Walking up to Flame, she had her second surprise of the morning as she saw that her horse had already been saddled and was ready to go.

"I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty since I knew you'd be out soon."

Michonne looked over her shoulder at the sound of Rick's voice and then looked...up...to meet his gaze as he sat astride Ares, the second horse in their stable.

"I don't mind at all, thank you. Are you going out to check your traps?"

Rick grinned down at her and in that moment, the sun glinted off the gleaming metal of the revolver belted at his hip. The revolver he hadn't worn in months. What the...?

"I've decided to exercise my hunting muscles again so I don't lose my skills. Farming's been great but you never know when you've got to do more so I told Daryl I'd be taking his place."

Michonne's eyes widened in surprise as she hadn't been expecting to travel with Rick and wasn't sure how she felt about him taking Daryl's place.

Daryl was a known entity while Rick was not because they had never traveled alone before. Not one to shy away from the unknown, however, Michonne gave Rick a resolute nod, small smile and an 'Okay then, let's go' before loading her supplies onto Flame and pulling herself onto the saddle.

As Rick waited for Michonne, he looked over his shoulder and waved to Carl, who returned his wave with a grin. When he had asked Carl if he was okay with him going away for a couple of days, his son was completely supportive, telling him it was a good idea and that he would be fine in his absence.

Following Michonne out of the front gate, Rick welcomed the hum of anticipation that traveled through his veins. He hadn't gone on a run since giving up the gun months ago and felt good about going out again. It was time.

He'd also be lying if he said he wasn't curious as hell about the too-frequent hunting trips Michonne took. He and Carl had gotten to know Michonne much better since she joined their group but there was a part of herself she withheld from everyone and he hoped these next couple of days would give him the opportunity to inch his way past the walls she put up.

After thirty minutes of carefully making their way through wooded trails and staying off the road as much as possible, Rick broke the silence between them.

"So what do you and Daryl usually talk about to pass the time?" he asked, curious about how his loner friend got along with Michonne.

An amused chuckle preceded Michonne's response. "Talk? This is Daryl we're talking about right?" At Rick's answering smile and nod, she continued in a dry tone while patting Flame's neck. "Well there was this one incredibly scintillating conversation where I stated that the town we were looking for should be up ahead by about two miles and he slowed his bike down, shot me a glance and replied 'yeah'."

As Michonne proceeded to do a spot on imitation of Daryl, Rick laughed, both amused and grateful. While Michonne was personable at the prison and often joked around with Carl, he very rarely had the opportunity to be her audience and found that he enjoyed it a great deal.

Relaxing in the saddle, Michonne slid a glance over at Rick. "I joke but you know what? I actually enjoy the quiet on my trips with him. It gives me space to think."

Rick turned to face her, his brows furrowed in concern. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, no...It's okay. It's..." Michonne tilted her head as she searched for words that didn't come so she simply said what was on her mind. "It's different with you. I don't know what it is but it's nice to be talking."

Rick nodded, completely understanding what she was saying. Channeling the taciturn Daryl, Rick did his own impression with a brusque nod and 'yeah', grinning at the laughter he pulled from his traveling companion.

The rest of the morning was spent alternating between comfortable silence and bouts of conversation where Rick and Michonne learned more about each other. They learned that they were both shy as kids until their involvement in sports pulled them out of their shells. They both loved to read non-fiction books and crime thrillers, hated reality TV and thought the concept of fruity beer was positively un-American.

As they traveled the last mile or two to their destination, it was Michonne's turn to break the silence.

"Favorite music?"

Rick's lips curved inward as if trying to hold back a laugh and Michonne was intrigued.

"Guess," he responded as he casually adjusted his seat on the saddle.

Michonne smiled, enjoying this side of Rick she'd seen come out on this trip. A playful side she'd only caught too brief glimpses of at the prison as he was a man who took his roles as leader and father to heart and worked hard to fulfill them.

Emitting an exaggerated 'hmmmm' as she played up being deep in thought, Michonne surveyed the quiet landscape in front of them, catching Rick stealing glances her way.

"George Strait?"

"Nope."

"Kenny Chesney?"

"Not even close."

Michonne's smile grew in the face of Rick's smug expression. She was so happy he had decided to come with her on this run. Relaxing her grip on reigns, she threw her head back to search the sky for answers.

"Okay so the country boy ain't a country fan. Let me think...I know! Rolling Stones!"

Rick nodded his head slightly. "Great band and my _father's_ favorite but not mine. Next?"

Michonne chuckled at the gentle rebuke.

"I give up, man of mysterious musical tastes. Spill."

Rick pulled on the reigns, slowing his horse to a stop and waited until Michonne pulled up beside him. Turning to face her completely so as to not miss one second of her reaction, Rick gave her his answer.

"Prince."

Michonne almost fell off of her horse.

"Prince? As in _Prince..._ Little Red _Corvette_ , Prince?"

Rick smiled and nodded, sitting up slightly taller in the saddle, happy that he had shocked his friend.

"I had to wait a couple of years until my parents said I was old enough to buy 'Purple Rain' but that's exactly what I did with my birthday money when I was 12. Even saw him in concert in college."

Michonne shook her head and laughed, "What I would have given to see your small town self at a Prince concert."

Rick let out a self deprecating chuckle. "I was the skinny kid proudly wearing my brand new concert t-shirt surrounded by screaming women who occasionally glanced at me as I sang along to every word. Let's just say I didn't blend."

Michonne grinned. "I feel like I need to one up you and tell you my favorite was Metallica but I just can't go there."

"Who _is_ your favorite?" Rick asked, curious to learn more about the woman who was so very much more than the weapon she wore on her back.

Michonne leaned forward and patted Flame's neck once again as the heat of the day made her grateful for the horse.

"Lauryn Hill. I was obsessed and saw her in concert five times."

Rick nodded his approval over her choice and, wanting to continue their banter as they signaled their horses to walk, threw out the next question. "Baseball or Football?"

Michonne shot him an 'oh please' look as she stretched to work the kinks out of her back.

"Georgia Dome season ticket holder right up till the end, my friend."

Rick grinned in response to this sassy, relaxed side of Michonne. "I'll keep my eyes open for Falcon merchandise on our travels then."

And as they turned their horses onto the wider street leading them into town, Michonne kicked Flame into a trot, calling back over her shoulder, "And I'm going to hunt down a Prince poster for you!"

After spending the rest of the day quietly inspecting each building in the small town, Rick and Michonne picked an empty drugstore at the end of the main street to settle in for the night as it had secure doors and was cleared of walkers.

Rick surveyed the dim drugstore and then turned to Michonne who had already started to unroll her sleeping bag in the back corner.

As he shifted his backpack onto a better position on his shoulders, Rick asked, "So where does Daryl usually sleep on these runs?"

"Daryl always sleeps by the door, usually on the opposite side from where I am."

Rick tilted his head in curiosity. "In case of an attack?"

Michonne chuckled as she continued to set up for the night. "It's not very strategic to lay across the point of entry as you'll be the first to get hurt if there's a breach. Nah...I think he just didn't want to sleep too close."

Rick matched her light tone as he walked towards her. "Why not? Do you snore?"

As Rick dropped his sleeping bag a few feet from hers, Michonne replied with a smile and chiding look. "No, I don't snore, thank you very much. I just think Daryl looks at women like a necessary evil sometimes...cool to put up with during the day but scary as hell at night."

A bark of laughter escaped Rick at Michonne's summation of Daryl's skittishness around most women. Chuckling as he shook his head, he glanced over to see her sitting on top of her bag and leaning against the wall behind her. "Well, if you don't mind, I like to sleep with my back against the wall and a clear sight line to the door so you're stuck with me for the night."

Finding an ease in Rick's company way more than she anticipated at the beginning of this trip, Michonne grinned as she sipped from her water bottle. "I'll survive...as long as you don't snore."

Mirroring Michonne's position, Rick leaned his head against the wall then turned to face her. "That's a negative so I think we're good."

After a few minutes of easy conversation around their plans for the next day, darkness descended into the store as the sun fully set for the night. As if on cue, Michonne and Rick both slid into their sleeping bags, no longer able to see each other but attuned to the sounds they each made.

Staring in the direction of the ceiling, Rick thought about the question he'd wanted to ask all day but could never find the right moment to do so. Figuring now was better than never, he dove in.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"You've been hunting him for months and haven't found a trace. Why do you keep doing it?"

As silence was his answer for a minute too long, Rick was about to apologize for stepping out of line when Michonne responded in a hesitant, hushed tone that made him turn towards her, hoping for the glimpse of her expression he knew the darkness wouldn't provide.

"My head knows he's long gone. Either dead or a hundred miles away. But my heart..."

More silence as he heard a quiet sigh whisper across the few feet that separated them.

"My heart won't let me stop. Andrea deserves justice. I couldn't save her when I needed to and I'll be damned if I stop searching for her killer just because it's hard."

Propping his head up with his hand, Rick rolled over to fully face Michonne, grasping onto something she revealed. Something that spoke to the chaos in his own heart.

"Do you really think you could have saved her?"

 _That was the million dollar question, wasn't it?_ Michonne thought about the numerous times she had tried to convince her friend to leave Woodbury, not trusting the oily charm of its leader. But she had run out of chances to sway Andrea when her dealings with the Governor and his men forced her to run.

After considering her answer carefully, she finally spoke.

"I've asked myself 'What if' a hundred times since Andrea died. What if we'd traveled left instead of right when Andrea was sick? Would we have avoided Woodbury altogether and found the prison instead? What if I hadn't aggravated things with the Governor and laid low? Could I have eventually opened Andrea's eyes? What if..."

"Michonne..." Rick's gruff voice cut into her confession with a razor edge, stopping her as she fought the emotions that always bubbled up when she let her regrets have their head.

Regrets that went all the way back to the beginning.

Sitting up, Rick turned on the lantern between them to allow for just enough light so he could see instead of just hear Michonne. He didn't question why it was suddenly so important to understand what drove her but knew he wouldn't be able to sleep until he knew it all.

Waiting until Michonne also sat up, and suppressing an apology as he watched her swipe at her damp cheeks, Rick made his case. "You can't put place Andrea's death on your shoulders. You just _can't_. The only one who can do that is most likely dead or worse which is the justice he deserves."

Michonne nodded. "I know what you're saying is true. Logically I get it. But I still wish I could have done more, you know? She was my friend, someone who had saved me as much as I had saved her out on the road. She shouldn't have died like that."

Rick nodded, unable to argue against that last statement. Leaning towards Michonne, he dipped his head to meet her lowered gaze. "You never talk about your time on the road with her. Now that I think about it, you never really talk about yourself at _all_ and I've been so caught up in my own troubles, I haven't asked. I know you saved Andrea near the farm but how did you get there from Atlanta?"

 _Tell him you're tired and want to go to sleep. Tell him you can't..._

Michonne sucked in a deep breath and lifted her gaze to meet Rick's eyes, eyes filled with compassion and...understanding? Her journey was never meant to be a secret but over these long months, it had become just that, something so painful, she wasn't sure she could ever talk about it.

Until now.

Holding Rick's gaze for a long minute, Michonne saw nothing but safety and acceptance and somehow she knew that she could lay her soul bare and this man would be understand.

"When I met Andrea, I was...I don't know what I was but it definitely wasn't living. I had been wandering around for almost two months by myself...avoiding people, avoiding connections. Just..." Michonne looked off in the distance as memories took over.

Rick leaned forward again with a reassuring whisper. "You don't need to keep going if it's too painful. I shouldn't have pried."

Michonne shook her head. "No, I'm fine. It's just that I've never talked about it. Never said the words out loud to a _living_ person before."

Rick remembered Michonne's referencing talking to her dead boyfriend as that was the day both he and his son started to truly trust her. He gave her the silence and space she needed to continue.

Michonne closed her eyes tight as images from before her world had ended flashed before her. Happy images that she knew someday would bring her comfort but, for now, were so very painful. Opening her eyes once again, she met Rick's gaze head on.

"I had a young son. Andre."

Rick nodded and his complete lack of surprise aroused her curiosity. "You knew?"

"I suspected. I saw how you looked at Judith. And how you always seemed to walk away right before someone handed her over to you. I knew there was pain there but didn't know for sure you had a child. I'm sorry."

Michonne nodded, a calm stealing over her at Rick's quiet acknowledgement of her 'not-secret.' "He was three years old, bright, happy and full of life. So full of life..." Her words drifted back to a whisper as Rick's face went out of focus with her tears. With a quick swipe across her eyes, she continued, looking off into the distance once again.

"We were at a camp just outside of Atlanta. It was chaos but there was military there so we thought we were safe. My boyfriend, Mike, and our friend Terry...they were not adjusting well. They were...defeated, I guess. I tried to keep them focused on getting through each day but it drained me after awhile, you know? Having to be the strong one for your people while you're scared out of your mind?"

Rick nodded as his own dark memories made their presence known.

"We were very low on food and water so I asked Mike and Terry if one of them could scavenge around the neighborhood. I wanted to stay with Andre to try to shield him from all the craziness the best I could." Clenching her fists as anger reared its ugly head, Michonne continued.

"They both refused to go, told me we shouldn't bother, that it was all _over_. The dead were closing in and it was only a matter of time before we were killed or eaten." Michonne swiveled her gaze towards Rick, her anger dissipating when she saw the empathy there. _He understood what I went through because he's been there too._ Nodding her head in acknowledgment of his support, she continued.

"I was so angry that they were giving up. _Furious_ actually. I laid into them both. Called them fools... _weak_. Oh I laid into them good. But not good enough to shame either into going out on that run. Oh no, they left that for _me_." Clenched fists hitting against her crossed legs, Michonne remembered each second as if it were yesterday.

"They didn't stop me when I grabbed the backpack and the machete we had found. They didn't stop me when I hugged my son and told him to please stop crying because his mama would be right back. They didn't stop me when I looked them both in the eye and told them to keep their shit together for one damn hour. They...didn't...stop...me." As the emotions of that terrible day came barreling back into her heart, Michonne closed her eyes as she finished her story, knowing that the sympathy in Rick's would make her lose it completely.

"And in the longest hour of my life, I fought my way through the misery outside of our camp. I fought my way to stealing supplies from other groups, fought my way through the dead. And in an hour, I came back to our camp overrun, my son dead and Mike and Terry bit just a couple feet from his body.

And I had nothing left to fight for."

 _Jesus Christ._ No wonder Michonne had been so closed off when he met her, Rick thought. She had been betrayed by those closest to her. The worst betrayal _ever_. What could he possibly say in response to that kind of loss? That kind of devastation? So he let his heart speak for him.

"But you _did_ fight Michonne. You suffered the worst loss anyone can suffer, the loss of a _child_ , and for that I am truly sorry. _Truly_. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found Carl and Lori in the beginning. If I would have had the strength to keep going. But you did and that's amazing. _You're_ amazing. One of the strongest people I've ever known."

Although touched by Rick's unconditional support, Michonne shook her head, needing to kick all of her buried secrets to the curb once and for all. "Those two walkers I kept in chains that Merle talked about? They were Mike and Terry. I dragged them around behind me for months, Rick. _Months_."

Rick wanted so badly to grab Michonne's hand in comfort but wasn't sure how she'd take it so he resisted. "And I talked to Lori _on the phone_ after she died and followed her ghost out into the damn woods. It happens."

Michonne jerked her gaze back to Rick's as he threw the words she had told him outside his hometown all those months ago back at her. Curving her lips in a small, grateful smile, she nodded and replied, "It happens."

Feeling a kinship in that moment, a new closeness that seemed completely right, Rick took a deep breath and looked first to the ceiling, then his hands and then finally into Michonne's patient gaze. It was as if she read his mind and was simply waiting for him to come forward with some hard truths of his own.

Looking down at his clasped hands, Rick began. "You've felt guilty about leaving to go on that run that day. I know how that feels. A little bit too much."

Michonne nodded, "Lori." It was a statement not a question because she had heard about Lori's death from Carol and Maggie shortly after she had joined the prison for good. She knew Rick's wife had died tragically while delivering Judith through a brutal cesarean forced upon her by circumstance. And she knew Carl insisted on putting his mother down afterward.

Rick nodded in response. "We had Hershel and he was fully prepared to deliver the baby. We had means to sterilize the equipment and we were behind a secure fence. It was all supposed to be okay."

A long silent moment as Michonne's weary heart found room to shelter another's pain.

"You had found a safe home for your family Rick. _You_ did that."

Rick nodded but refused to let himself off the hook. "Yeah, I also allowed a prisoner who tried to kill me escape and that prisoner came back and let walkers breach our _secure_ fence. It was _my_ fault those walkers got in and _my_ fault that Lori had to make a choice between her life and our baby's. It's all on me."

 _Oh Rick_. Even after all these months, Michonne could see the pain on his face as he wore his guilt like a tight collar around his neck, allowing it to squeeze and squeeze until he couldn't breathe. She had worn that same collar for many months.

Until a young boy and his gruff father allowed her to remove it after welcoming her into their lives.

Leaning forward, Michonne tried to find the words that would help her friend. "That's what I told myself with every step I took after Andre died. It was my fault I left him with unreliable care. My fault I wasn't more aware of the impending threat. I get it, Rick, I truly do."

Rick's gaze caught hers in a moment of shared pain that urged Michonne to continue.

"But after a while, I realized something. None of us knew we were going to be thrown into this world. None of us knew that we'd be fighting the dead for shelter in abandoned homes and scavenging for cans of beans to make it through winter. There was no history lesson for us to reference to figure it out. _We_ had to figure things out, _life and death_ things, every single day. Still do."

Rick nodded, memories of his time on the road with his family flashing before him at Michonne's words.

"We're not perfect Rick, you and I. We've made mistakes, a whole lot of them, but every decision we've made has been with one goal in mind, one very important goal." Michonne's lips curved into the smallest of smiles as she spoke out loud the words that had finally stopped her self-hate.

"Survival. Not only for ourselves but for the people we love. The people who need us. I did everything within my power to keep my son alive and you did everything you could to keep Lori alive. But in this crazy world, terrible things happen that we just cannot predict, that we can't anticipate. Sometimes, we have time to react and change course but sometimes…." Michonne took in a deep breath as she briefly closed her eyes.

"….Sometimes we run out of time. We run out of chances and luck and good fortune and we _lose_. And when that happens, we have to figure out a way to keep going. To grieve our loss, yes, but to also _survive_ and keep those we love alive for _as long as we can_. I've tried to do that and I know you will too."

Michonne's words, spoken so softly, but devastating in their truth, made Rick catch his breath. Everything she said, everything she had experienced rang true, was genuine and real, and Rick felt, for the first time since Lori's death, that he wasn't alone with his burdens.

That maybe, _just maybe_ , he had paid his penance for that awful day and that finding some happiness in his life wouldn't be a betrayal to Lori's memory. Meeting Michonne's steady gaze in the dim light of the lantern, Rick felt a rush of gratitude, affection and an energy course through him that was brand new and….promising. Nodding his head, Rick whispered the few words he could form over his emotions.

"Thank you for that. I needed to hear it and I….well I agree with everything you said. I can't change what happened that day but I _can_ choose to move forward. Like you're trying to do. I can try at least."

Michonne smiled as she nodded, so very happy to have shared this moment with Rick. And as she considered making tomorrow her last day seeking the justice that would always evade her, she responded with certainty in her voice.

"We'll both try. Together."

Rick returned her smile.

"Together."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

During the following month, Rick worked hard to find balance in his life as he slowly figured out what his future looked like. He now kept his gun holstered on his hip and occasionally went out on supply runs with Daryl but continued to spend most of his days farming with his son. A couple of weeks ago, he had given Carl his gun back with no words spoken between them, Rick's faith and Carl's gratitude conveyed in the nods they shared with one another.

And, as promised, Michonne was a constant in his life. Having given up the hunt for the Governor, she slowly integrated herself into the community and its routines and Rick often found himself hurrying back inside after his early morning chores in order to join her for breakfast. There was always a seat saved for her next to him or Carl at dinner and, without even realizing it, he looked forward to hearing her laughter or even just her voice across the courtyard as he came back from checking his traps.

Rick knew that Michonne played a big part in his newfound sense of peace and he hoped that he and Carl had helped her find hers. She still went out on many of the supply runs and worked more hours than she relaxed and socialized but she was _trying_. They both were.

After cleaning up from his afternoon tending the crops, Rick greeted Maggie as she headed towards the door between cellblocks with a plate of food in her hands.

"Hey there, I thought you had tower duty till 11 tonight."

Maggie nodded, "I did but Michonne offered to cover for me since Glenn was working overtime on repairs next door and she thought I'd like to spend time with him. I told her I'd cover her next shift."

As Rick returned Maggie's nod and waved her through, he felt a surge of frustration over what Michonne was doing as he believed he knew _why_ she was doing it.

While Michonne had been spending more time at the prison than she had before, she had also developed this habit of covering tower shifts and taking runs above and beyond what was expected of her. When Rick had asked her about it, she had brushed it off, saying she liked to keep busy, and then always found a reason to walk away, not letting him dig deeper. As he stalked towards the guard tower, Rick was determined to settle this once and for all and convince Michonne to take the downtime she earned.

After a thorough scan of the prison's perimeter through the rifle scope revealed that all was clear, Michonne took a moment to admire the colors of the setting sun through the tree tops. She enjoyed this time alone in the tower as her thoughts could just settle on one thing. Keeping the prison safe. That was _it._

As Michonne set the rifle against the wall next to her, she leaned against the window frame with a sigh. Her thoughts had been all over the place lately as she spent more and more time with the prison's residents. And way too much time with _one_ particular resident.

Its leader.

Michonne had found comfort in the easy friendship she and Rick had shared before but ever since he joined her on that trip, things were _different_. She found herself gravitating more and more towards him and Carl and, lately, even started interacting with Judith. When she went on runs, she looked for items that she knew would make Rick happy and she always smiled when he met her at the gate upon her return.

In order to come to terms with the confusing feelings that were making themselves known way too often, Michonne looked for ways to reduce her time with Rick and his family so she found herself up in this tower every chance she could get.

Even if those moments of peace were interrupted by thoughts of possibilities and what if's…..

"Why are you up here?"

Rick's gruff rasp interrupted her musings and Michonne hid her surprise as she turned from the window with what she hoped was a composed smile.

"I thought I would give Maggie a break and allow her to spend some time with her husband."

Rick nodded, seeming to agree with her response, but his next words quickly dissuaded Michonne of that notion.

"What about David? Jimmy? Beth? And everyone else you've covered for _weeks_. What about them? I'd really like to know."

Michonne's eyes widened slightly at Rick's tone as well as the impatient hand he ran through his hair. Where was this coming from all of a sudden? She thought they were getting along just fine.

Maybe a bit _too_ much for her comfort but still….

"I covered for them so they could spend time with their families."

" _You_ have a family!" Rick nearly shouted before he could even think about how it sounded. He didn't care, dammit, it was how he felt and it was high time he opened her eyes to it.

Michonne swallowed as Rick's words sank in. This sweet, dear man. What was she going to do with him?

"I have you and the kids and I'm so grateful, Rick, but it's not the same. We're…"

Rick ate up the distance between them in three strides, not stopping until Michonne was less than a foot from him and in a softer but insistent tone continued his appeal.

"It _is_ the same. You have people who care about you and want to _spend time with you_ , Michonne. People who see you beyond your sword, beyond your ability to fight. People who see that you're more than just another soldier. That you're also a provider, a nurturer and a leader. That you're funny, smart amazing and beautiful…"

And with that word, the room suddenly become very quiet and very, very small. It became only the mere foot that separated the two of them and the whisper of that word echoing in their minds.

His heart racing, Rick realized why Michonne's absence bothered him so much, why he always looked for her after they spent time apart. Why he couldn't stop smiling as he watched her laugh with Carl or slowly open herself up to Judith.

He saw it all as clearly as he saw the beauty of her big brown eyes and the parting of her lips as she quietly gasped her surprise.

He saw it all and he was never going to close his eyes to it again.

 _Oh my, oh my, oh my_. Michonne could do nothing but stare at Rick as the silence lingered. She watched his expression change from frustration to confusion and then…something else entirely. Something that made his eyes fill with warmth and then… _heat_. Raising her hand to cover her rapidly beating heart, Michonne tried sanity on for size.

"Thank you for those compliments, Rick. I truly appreciate…"

"No."

 _So much for sanity_ , Michonne mused as Rick closed the distance between them even more. One more step and her nose would be pressed against his shoulder.

Which wouldn't necessarily be a hardship. Shaking her head, Michonne once again looked Rick in the eye.

"No?"

"They weren't compliments Michonne. They were the God's honest truth and you need to hear those words every damn day of your life. From _me_. To _you_."

Michonne forgot how to breathe as Rick followed that pronouncement with a grasp of her elbows. A touch that was devastating for its gentleness.

"I hope like hell what I'm about to say doesn't ruin our friendship but now that I've figured things out, you gotta know too, okay?"

Michonne nodded silently, anticipation rendering her mute.

"I love you Michonne. I think I have for quite some time but I buried it deep because I didn't know how to be happy. I know how to do that now. You showed me."

Michonne's eyes welled with tears as her heart almost ached with fullness.

"You showed me too, Rick."

Rick smiled wide, relief evident in his eyes. "Does that mean you….."

Michonne couldn't nod quickly enough as her lips trembled with emotion. "I love you too Rick. I love you too."

"Oh thank God," Rick muttered as wrapped his arms around Michonne and dipped his mouth to meet hers, finally moving over the beautiful lips he'd been stealing glances at for months and then moaning as Michonne parted them to allow his tongue entry. As they pressed up against each other and let their hands roam and explore, Michonne let out a soft moan that made Rick immediately harden and prompt his hands to cup the glorious ass that had been his favorite view since forever.

 _Was this really happening? Did her quiet evening turn into a lit powder keg in mere minutes?_ As Michonne brushed her fingers over Rick's stubble and then threaded them through his curls, she tilted her head and continued to meet his tongue with her own in a dance that needed no music except the beating of their hearts, their heavy breaths and the soft slide of their clothes as they rubbed against each other.

After several glorious minutes, Michonne felt Rick slowly pull his mouth away from hers but kept her pressed up against him, her warmth cradling his hardness and making her wish there was no clothing separating them. As she looked from his parted mouth to his eyes, she caught her breath at the unadulterated lust simmering in them. Without a word, Michonne let her wishes known by tugging gently on his hair and sliding very purposefully against him.

A second after that move, she felt Rick's fingers on her hip as he removed the walkie clipped to her belt. Without breaking eye contact or moving even an inch from her, Rick pressed the talk button and, in his raspy drawl, told Carol to let Carl know he was helping out with tower watch and not to wait up for him. After Carol confirmed she'd convey the message, Rick lowered his hand and placed the walkie on the table next to them.

Michonne had no idea until that moment that she was attracted to assertive men but the sight of Rick taking charge of what was going to happen next sent a rush of heat straight down to her core and she barely stopped herself from licking her lips in anticipation.

But assertive or no, Rick was still a southern gentleman at heart so, as he gently gripped Michonne's waist, he lowered his eyes to her level and asked, "You sure?" in a soft whisper that made her already full heart start to melt. Before this night ended, she had a feeling she'd be a puddle on the floor one way or another.

Cupping his face and rubbing her thumb over his bottom lip that was moist from their kisses, Michonne smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure."

"There's no going back to where we were you know. Once we're together, it's forever."

Michonne's gentle smile grew wider at Rick's declaration. Oh she did love her an alpha male.

An alpha male who adored her of course.

Standing on her toes, Michonne brushed a quick, firm kiss on his mouth and cupped his face so he would look her right in the eyes.

"We promised each other we'd try living, right? That night in the store? Well, this is _it,_ Rick Grimes. This is us living. Together."

Rick grinned as he led Michonne to the cot in the corner of the room where he turned, touched his forehead to hers and whispered...

"Together."

And with each piece of clothing removed, with each caress and intimate touch, they showed each other how they would live. As they stood in that dim room, bare to each other's gaze, they showed each other the person who allowed them to not only love once again but to want, to hope and to dream.

And as they became one with none of the awkwardness or hesitation that a first time should bring, they began their lives together in the same manner they would live them for many years to come.

Two people with warrior hearts and kindness in their souls who, through each other, found a way to not just survive in a brutal world but to thrive and feel joy with each other and with their family.

Together. Forever.

 **A/N: I truly believe that Rick and Michonne were in love with each other way back in season 4 but their trauma and grief kept that love unknown to even themselves. If only they had the opportunity to really talk! They could have helped each other with their pasts and their eyes would have been opened to all of those delicious possibilities. I hope you enjoyed this version of their love story! As always, feedback is appreciated. The next chapter will tackle 'What if' Michonne and Rick had hugged when they reunited after the fall of the prison? Hmmmm...**


End file.
